Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-04-16
DIR. TALMAGE's FIRST CIGAR.

The time had come in my boyhood which
| thought demanded of me capacity to
smoke. The old people of the household
could abide neither the sight nor the smell
of the Virginia weed. When ministers
came there, not by positive injunction, but
by sort of instinct as to what would be
safest, they whitfield their pipe on the back
steps. If the house could not stand sane
titled smoke, it may be imagined how little
chance there was for adolescent cigar-puff-
ing.
By some rare good fortune which put in
my hands three cents, | found access to a
tobacco store. AS the lid of the long, mar
row, fragrant box opened, and for the first
time | owned a cigar, my feelings of Ella
ton, manliness, superiority and anticipa-
ton can scarcely be imagined, save by those
who have had the same sensation. When
| put the cigar to my lips, and stuck the
lucifer- match to the end of the weed, and
commenced to pull with an energy that
brought every facial muscle to its utmost
tension, my satisfaction with this world
was so great my temptation was never to
want to leave it.
The cigar did not burn well. 1t required
an amount offs suction that tasked my deter
mination to the utmost. You see that my
worldly means had limited me to quality
that cost only three cents. But had been
taught that nothing great was accomplished
without effort, and so l pulled away. III
deed, had heard my older brothers in
their Latin lessons say, onlnid UincH labor ::
which translated means, if you want to
make anything go you must scratch for it.
With these sentiments passed down the
village street and out toward my country
home. My head did not feel exactly right
and the street began TO rock from side to
side, so that it became rather uncertain to
me which side of the street was on So
crossed over, but found myself on the same
side that was on before | crossed over
Indeed, / imagined that was on both sides
at the same time, and several fast teams
were driving between. / met another boy
who asked me why | looked so pale, and
told him that | did not look pale, but that
he was pale himself. After some further
walking sat down under the bridge near
my house and began to reflect on the pros
pect of early decease, and on the uncer-
tainty of all earthly expectations. | had
determined to smoke the cigar all up, and
thus get the full worth of my money, but
was finally obliged to throw three fourths
of it away. | knew, however, exactly
where | threw it in case | should feel better
the next day.
Getting home, the old people were fright
ened, and demanded of me an explanation
as to my absence and the rather whitish
color of my complexion. Not feeling that
! was called to go into particulars, and not
wishing to increase my parents apprehen-
sion that l was going to turn out badly, 1
summed up the case with the statement
that felt miserable at the pit of the stom-
ach. Mustard plasters were Immediately
administered, and l received careful watch
ing for some hours. Finally fell asleep
and forgot my disappointment and humil-
iation in being obliged to throw away
three-fourths of my first cigar.-T. De Viz
2dlmage in Brooklyn Magazine.